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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Our 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate long-term tester
made its way back into my garage for the month of September, and
despite cresting the 16,000-mile mark, appears no worse for the wear. Or
so I thought.

I hadn't seen the Equus since its odometer showed just a few thousand
miles, and in that time it's been the vehicle of choice for many of our
Detroit-based team members' summer vacations. It's easy to see why: The
Equus is ideal for covering long distances in comfort. That piled on the
miles quick, though, and sitting in my driveway in early September, the
effects of this hard use became apparent.

For one, the stained leather of the driver's lower seat back
continues to get worse. We've inspected the discoloration closely, and
tend to agree with those in our Facebook community who suggest it's
being caused by either cheap jeans or leather belts. That said, we also
think the adjustable lumbar support system that we've complained about
in the past is playing a part, too. Aside from causing lower back pain
on long and short drives alike, the perpetually overinflated lower
lumbar support is rubbing up hard against every fabric it comes in
contact with. We've purchased some leather cleaner from a local AutoZone
and will report on its effect, but at this point the leather might be
permanently damaged from the constant friction.

Fleet manager Steven Ewing also pointed out to me some vertical
scratches that had mysteriously appeared on the rear passenger door of
the Equus. I likely wouldn't have noticed these surface scrapes had they
not been pointed out, but they were all I saw once I was aware of them.
This, along with a pair of dangerously worn windshield wipers, gave me
an excuse to fire up the Equus iPad app and schedule a concierge service
appointment with my local Equus-servicing Hyundai dealership.

That would be Elyria Hyundai
right off I-90 in Elyria, Ohio. Setting up the service appointment
through the Equus iPad app was a little difficult due to limited menu
options (there are no options for such specific service items as
"scratches" or "windshield wipers"), but a representative from Elyria
Hyundai was quick to call and confirm the appointment. The dealership
kept the calls coming on the day in question, ringing me to confirm they
were on their way to pick up the car – and leave a Genesis loaner – and
when they were finished and on their way back with the car.

I hadn't realized how dirty, grimy and crusted with bugs the Equus was
until the dealer returned with a gleaming white luxury sedan. Not only
had Elyria Hyundai made those scratches disappear completely (see
above), its service department had washed and detailed our Equus to a
like-new condition. Overall, the entire concierge service experience was
excellent (the Thank You card on the passenger seat is a nice touch)
and significantly more convenient than having to drop off and pick up
the car ourselves.

The amount of attention the Equus attracts continues to surprise us.
People don't know what it is, but they think it's expensive. In addition
to lots of looks and a few "Nice car" comments, I had two lengthier
encounters with strangers that are worthy of mention. One was with a Hyundai Azera
owner who literally stopped me while I was pulling out of the driveway.
Our brief discussion while blocking the sidewalk revealed a bit of
disappointment on his part. He had decided not to wait for the Equus to
go on sale before buying the Azera, and was second-guessing that
decision after seeing the South Korean limo in the flesh.

The other encounter happened while filling up the Equus with premium
fuel at the corner station. A gentleman pulled in driving a brand new Fiat 500
and stopped me before leaving to comment on how premium the Equus
appeared. Clearly an auto enthusiast, the gentleman spent our short time
together complimenting Hyundai for its rapidly improving products and industry competitiveness.

I also had some fun with the Equus, using it to record a time-lapse video of a six-hour drive on our new ReplayXD 1080. Check out the results below.

As I write this, the Equus has moved on from my possession and is back
in Detroit. I likely won't see it again before we hand it back to
Hyundai, so now is the time to impart my final thoughts about this
automaker's first foray into the full-size luxury sedan segment. Like
most first generation products from Hyundai, the Equus doesn't lead its
class in any particular area, particularly ride and handling, which is
tuned to the softest side of marshmallow. But the Equus is a promising
start for an automaker with the shortest learning curve in the business.
I wouldn't choose it outright over the Germans or Lexus LS, but don't expect the same will necessarily be true of a second-generation Equus, if Hyundai decides to build one for the U.S.